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Lighting > Exterior Scene Part 3 - Lighting (Posted By: Neoscape)
:: Post Date: 2008-02-26 11:27:05 [Post Comment] [Post Articles]

Exterior Scene Part 3 – Lighting

Software: 3dsmax
Author: Neoscape:Hao La
Website: http://www.neoscape.com/

Lighting is one of the most important parts in 3D visualization rendering. It brings not only the look and feel for the image, but also helps to visualize the design in reality. Many artists will find themselves spending more time with interior lighting to make sure every detail in the room is lit perfectly. Exterior lighting is easier to set up but still challenges the artist.

1. Modeling

Here we have a model of L5’s exterior. The entire model is created based on a CAD plan, then imported into 3D Studio Max and organized into layers.

2. Texturing

Textures and material information are collected and then applied to the model.

All the materials in the scene are Vray materials.

In this scene, besides some basic material, we also apply Vray displacement on the grass to make the render look more realistic and detailed.

For the grass, we use 2D mapping type for Vray DisplacementMod with a grayscale grass bitmap for displacement effects.

3. Camera View Setup

After applying all textures to the model, we set up a couple views and end up with this final view.

4. Lighting

Similar to lighting an interior scene, we start with environment light first. Again, it is a good practice to collect all the reference images about the kind of lighting you want to apply into the scene. In this case, we want to use daylight with yellow sunlight coming down from the right and hitting the whole building’s section. The right part of the scene will be in bluish shadow. Both yellow and blue colors will compliment the image.

Instead of using GI Environment (skylight) in Vray render setting dialogue as we used in interior to create ambient light, we use a different way by creating a semi-dome to simulate the sky.

We apply VrayLightMtl with a Sky bitmap for the dome, and also apply UVW mapping cylindrical type for it as well. The benefit of this method is that it creates more natural-looking ambient light and it has bright and dark areas just like a real sky would look. When applying the bitmap on a VraylightMtl, it will reflect those dark and bright areas on the bitmap onto the object to create a more interesting look for the image.

This method sounds the same as the HDRI method but easier to create and adjust since you can move, rotate or even scale the map on the viewport to suit your lighting look or even reflection on the object. Unlike HDRI, you have to enable the background on your viewport and put in some numbers to get it to look right.

For now, we leave the value of brightness at 1.

After that, we can go ahead and do a test render. We used a very low setting for test rendering images in order to get a quick preview of the image.

>Color mapping: Exponential

>Irradiance map was set to low

>Light cache with Subdivs at 200 and sample size at 0.02

It looks very dark at this point, but we can see some interesting effects on the ambient light. Since we are aiming for a bright-looking day, we need to increase the multiply of the VraylightMtl from 1 to 6.

Do the test again to see how it looks.

This looks better. We get the shadow to look bluish as we wanted. The render’s quality looks really bad due to very low setting of GI, however we will set a higher setting after we get the lighting to look right. This way can save you a lot of time.

Now, after you get the correct look for the ambient, let’s add some sunlight. Again, we use Vray light, Sphere type to simulate the sun, with strong yellow color. The bigger the radius of the light, softer the shadow.

We also add furniture, some plants, flowers and trees to add more details into the scene.

Now, we are ready for the final render.

5. Render Setting For Final Image

For a final render image at 4000 pixel, we change the setting so that it is higher than before to bring more quality to the image.

For GI method, we used Irradiance map for Primary bounces and Light cache for Secondary bounces at a high setting.

We chose Adaptive QMC for Image sampler and Michell – Netravali for Antialiasing filter.

For post work, we also rendered out the VrayReflection pass, VraySpecular pass and VrayZDepth pass (you can add these passes by going to Render Elements and click the Add button).

6. Post Work

We use Photoshop for post work. Level adjustments and Color Balance are used to improve the contrast and color for the image.

A real sky background is added for more realism.

Reflection and Specular passes are used to add more reflection and highlight for the image to provide more realistic effects.

We also render out a Vray Dirtpass render so we can use it in Photoshop to boost the shadow.

Some close-up details:

And there it is. We get the lighting as we wanted. It is quite simple as you can see, but it sure is full of challenges to get the right look for the final image. I hope you will get other ideas in lighting an exterior scene as well.

Enjoy!

All Links for Exterior Scene Tutorials:

1. Exterior Scene Part 1 >>

2. Exterior Scene Part 2 >>

3. Exterior Scene Part 3 >>

4. Exterior Scene Part 4 >>

Comments: (Currently there are 21 comments.)

krishadip ( 2008-06-11 23:02:51 ) [Post Comments]
if any user read my message plz mail me on my email.
plz mail me for the furhter disussion of vray or about this tutorial my emil id is dipu4u_1975@yahoo.com

thanks
krishadip ( 2008-06-11 22:59:29 ) [Post Comments]

this is a gr8 tutorial. but i don't gate the images like you.
I can't got idea of light that where to place and which light u actually used.
So i want to be use u r gr8 tutorial so will u pass me u r max file or send me the light palcement idea
thanks.
dipesh sadavarte
gujarat surat.

niravashara ( 2008-06-08 00:57:38 ) [Post Comments]
ULTIMATE man, u r gr8. its like one sweet dream, but i cant get same efect. pls send me .max file of this. Thank you. Nirav From Rajkot, Gujrat, India.
[Anonymous] ( 2008-05-29 06:01:28 ) [Post Comments]
Hi man, you had added some post work in photoshop and its not a great work for a job like this . do you have any idea to correct these parts during rendering?(without any need to ps)
[Anonymous]gsd ( 2008-05-17 12:55:10 ) [Post Comments]
wow great work !!!!

but the tut missing the shader of the water and the glass
anyone can send me it ? thank you very much
this is my adresse gsd888@hotmail.fr
[Anonymous]limit ( 2008-04-30 15:48:41 ) [Post Comments]

First of all

I do not know jerk, I bought Maya 8.5 and 3ds max 9 and dont know nothihng as in I am below rookie level, Well I do have an imaginary mind but would like some help as in getting to know how to use the tools from both programmes please assist.......

mashmahesh ( 2008-04-23 19:49:02 ) [Post Comments]
this tutorials is very fine. But i cannot folloe this tutorials, My problem How i use stuco materials and Light environment, Please give me this tuotrial max file and maps
mashmahesh ( 2008-04-23 18:45:50 ) [Post Comments]
I dont get this result, Please issue download the scene maxfile. I dont get materials and lighting
[Anonymous]febri -@rch_UGM ( 2008-04-21 23:08:38 ) [Post Comments]
APIK TEUNAN DAB..!!
[Anonymous]cihan ( 2008-04-21 04:47:52 ) [Post Comments]
[Anonymous]memo ( 2008-04-20 19:46:12 ) [Post Comments] how do you create a semi-dome?

First create/geometry/sphere and then use hemisphere amount :)
[Anonymous]cihan ( 2008-04-21 04:44:03 ) [Post Comments]
very nice! thanks a lot brother from Turkey
[Anonymous]memo ( 2008-04-20 19:46:12 ) [Post Comments]
how do you create a semi-dome?
[Anonymous]dj_boi ( 2008-03-28 12:53:26 ) [Post Comments]
very nice can you help me how to do that...binaryboy_69@yahoo.com is my email add can i do this thru mental ray?
[Anonymous]Skymedias Admin ( 2008-03-18 15:33:33 ) [Post Comments]
Hi kamran,

Thanks for visiting the site. I have put all the links for this series of tutorials at the end of the tutorial.

Cheers,

Richard
[Anonymous]kamran ( 2008-03-18 14:01:26 ) [Post Comments]

hello there

ur lightint style is very goof
i m new to outdoor lighting i got the 3rd and 4th tut
but i havent found the 1st and 2nd can u give me the link of those i ll be very thankful to u ma id is
kamii2cool@hotmail.com

plz man i really need those thank u

[Anonymous]Mike87el ( 2008-03-18 01:33:40 ) [Post Comments]
tutorial is really cool:) the efect is very nice:) but i'd like to know how big should be that vray light sphere to that dome
[Anonymous]RushzeviC ( 2008-03-18 00:32:02 ) [Post Comments]
It's cools tutorial man.... Very best.. Thank's alot :)
mampiro nang jawa timur lak sempat Lee' neng kene akeh senok seng ayu-ayu
[Anonymous]omar ( 2008-03-08 19:55:50 ) [Post Comments]
omararchimaker@yahoo.fr
[Anonymous]duy ( 2008-03-03 13:51:14 ) [Post Comments]
thank you!
[Anonymous]rafiq ( 2008-02-27 18:13:14 ) [Post Comments]
so many ideas today i hve learnt.with u..thx..u so much..
[Anonymous]teemto ( 2008-02-27 05:56:54 ) [Post Comments]
Excellent part 3. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. Very much appreciated!

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